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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: content · current · staff · row · fine · drill · bowl · chair

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. current — electric
  4. current — happening now
  5. content — the amount
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. drill — a practice
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. fine — high quality
  11. staff — a stick
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. staff — employees
  14. chair — a leader
  15. current — of water
  16. row — a line
  17. content — happy
  18. drill — the tool
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. row — to paddle
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. staff — employees
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. drill — army training

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com